chief duty for citizen woman: produce legitimate male heir)s_) for oikos = family/household; plural = oikoi = citizenry of state; interests of family and state coincide – had to be legitimately born to be citizen, so keep oikoi going

father had to provide dowry for every (decent looking) daughter which had to stay intact (wife supported on interest, 18% per annum) and be returned if divorced; no dowry, no legal marriage

family w/o male heir: daughter attached to property (epikleros) and would go to her husband, then to her sons — keeping property in family; or nearest male relative had to marry her, first to brothers of deceased, then to sons of brothers: goal always was keep property in family

competition for wealthy heiresses: some men ditched wives (providing dowries) to remarry heiress. widow w/o son returned to original guardian